There is a funny story behind putting the recipe for Turkish Warm Lentil Salad together. In Turkey, lentils are traditionally of the red variety. We thought that we might be a little different and make the Turkish Warm Lentil
Salad with green lentils, as we had thought we had seen them at the market. So, whilst shopping at the local market, we sourced our green lentils. No problem. Or so we thought.
The problem became evident when it took forever for the green lentils to cook. I couldn’t work it out and what was that aroma coming from the pot? So, after 40 minutes of simmering away, I thought that I should taste the green lentils only to discover that they were actually green peppercorns!
Round 2: Turkish Warm Lentil Salad
I was not happy as it had been a long day in the kitchen having previously prepared a Red Lentil Soup and the Sultan’s Delight recipe. So I was tired and I wanted to be done. But wait, it gets worse.
So I unhappily filled the same pot with water to start again only this time I put red lentils on to cook. After 15 minutes of boiling away happily I though that I should check and lo and behold all I can smell is bloody green pepper. Yep I had failed to wash the pot and now the red lentils tasted like green peppercorns. Not happy at all.
Round 3: Turkish Warm Lentil Salad
So after cleaning the pot and then for a third time filling it with clean water I finally succeeded in cooking red lentils so I could proceed with the recipe. If you look carefully, some of the pictures don’t actually have red lentils in them. I was running out of light and had to take pictures before the lentils were finally ready to add to the dish.
Anyway having said all of that, this is actually a pretty easy dish to cook. Salads and mezes are a big part of Turkish cuisine. This Turkish Warm Lentil Salad espouses the colors of Turkey and again another healthy dish to enjoy.
Cheers.
PS This recipe is Gluten Free. Pin this Turkish Warm Lentil Salad for later, just click on the Pin it button below for a vertical pin!
If you enjoyed this salad, you might also enjoy:
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| 4people | 15minutes | 45minutes |
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4people | 15minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 45minutes |
- 2 beets (beetroots) medium, washed
- 2 cups butternut squash (pumpkin) peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes
- 1 cup lentils, red or yellow*
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1 tsp sumac *
- 1 onion, salad (red) small, thinly sliced
- 1 cup mint, fresh, leaves only
- Dressing
- 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses *
- 1/2 cup olive oil
|
Ingredients
Servings: people
Units:
|
- Pre-heat your oven to 350 f (180 c).
- Place your beets on a non-stick tray and cook in the oven. After 35 minutes, add the squash. Bake for a further 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, rinse your lentils. Place them in a saucepan with 4 cups of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 25 minutes until tender. Drain and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, dry roast the walnuts in a small fry pan until nicely browned.
- When the cooked beets are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off and cut into ½ inch (1.5 cm) cubes. Place in a bowl and add the warm squash and lentils. Crush the browned walnuts and add. Add the sumac, salad onion and mint leaves.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the pomegranate molasses and olive oil. Drizzle over the salad and toss carefully.
Cooking time for the lentils can vary anywhere between 20 and 35 minutes, depending on the type. Best to check for tenderness from about 20 minutes onwards.
You can buy sumac here.
It is worth sourcing the pomegranate molasses. You can substitute with honey if you cannot find.
Binjal's VEG Kitchen
healthy and yummy!
Donna
Yum, I love the ingredient combination in this salad, sounds delicious!! Great colours too 🙂
Editor
Yes the colours are fantastic! It will brighten up any day.
Madiha Nawaz
Sorry to know that you had to go through a lot of hassle to prepare this however simple and easy to make salad. I love salads and am always looking for the new recipes. I really liked this one and will be trying for sure.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Editor
It was all worth it!
Priya
wow! Lovely lentil salad! I have had lentil soup but never tried a salad with it..
LydiaF
I’ve mixed squash and beets with lentils before, but never together and never with the particular seasoning you’ve used. It sounds absolutely wonderful so I’ve pinned it for cooler days when this type of food really appeals to me.
Editor
Lydia, Let us know what you think when you try it!
Karen
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has these kinds of things happen, and usually with a dish I am so sure is going to be a homerun too! This sounds very good. I’m actually making some lentils with bulgur right now for lunch. I eat red lentils a lot so I’m always happy to find more ways to serve them.
Editor
Hi Karen. Thanks for your comments. We love lentils. Here is a link to Red Lentil Soup. We really like this dish as well. Cheers….Mark